Transcript

First Letter from Trine Marie Hold.

                                 Salt Lake, Utah

                                        28, Sept. 1864,

             Dear Brother Hansen:- I will take the time, at this time to let you know that I have reached my destination. We had a successful journey. We had a wonderful understanding Captain to lead us on our journey.

             We are ten weeks on the journey over the plains. Nine weeks I walked over the plains, but the last eight days I had to ride most of the way. I got sick and I was so tired I couldn't walk any more. 

             We finaly arrived in Salt Lake. I didn't know any one. But every one was so friendly. I was taken in by a Danish Family and they have been very good to me. The wife treated me as if I was her sister. Her husband is a kind and understanding man. They have ask me to spend the winter with them. Which I am very thakful for. Their names are Frandsen. Brother Frandsen has been on a missionin the Aarhus conference. They have been here three years, but he wants to be a farmer.

             My dear Brother Hansen I will tell you a little about your wife. She walked as much of the way as she could. She was well most of the time. Toward the end she wasn't very well, she became very sick. It was a sickness many of the saints had. It was some stomach trouble, she was to weak to go on. She was sick six days and on the 7th day the Lord called her homd, to a better life. She died with faith, hope and love for her Heavenly Father. I know as you are a good brother and that you will see everthing in the right light. Therefore I ask you to take this task with patience and that you should be glad that she died in the faith. She was taken from us the 9th of Sept 1864. We arrived in Salt Lake the fifteenth of September.

              I would have taken her belongings and taken care of them for you, but the Captain said that there was a law that if someone dies their clothing should be stored for a year and if some member of the family doesn't claim then they shoul be sold to help pay for part of the expence of coming to Salt Lake. Sister Christensen from Grenaa took care of her clothing.

              Write to me soon and let me know how things are in Denmark. How is the war? Did you have to go to war? If you come over next year I will meet you and help you. A shoemaker if he wants to work can make a good living here.

               Tell my cousin hello and tell him I am happy and I arrived in safety. I have received a stronger testimony that Mormonism is the truth, not just another belief. He wanted me to write but he didn't think that I would be allowed to write myself. So I won't wast the time on him because he doesn't believe in the gaspel anyway. 

                Please tell sister OutZen, Henreksen Bobery, Michael and all the Saints hello for me. There isn't anything new to write about I have just been here two days. I hope that I shall soon hear from you again.

                Brother Frandsen ask to tell every-one he knew hello for him, he has been in Randers.

                                                I will close for now and send greetings to you.

                                                         Trine Marie Hold         My address is A. Frandsen.